Buddhism vs. Confucianism

There are several similarities between the Chinese philosophy of Confucianism and the religion of Buddhism. However, there are some important differences as well. This chart compares the two belief systems and their practices.

Comparison chart

Originally sites of the administration of imperial examination, not religious places of worship. Confucian temples today are for the veneration of Confucius. Confucian temples are not really religious sites and have no priests and spiritual beings.

Practices

Meditation, the Eightfold Path; right view, right aspiration, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration

Visit to temples to pay homage to Ti'en (while it can refer to God or Heaven, it traditionally refers to social power), Confucius, and ancestors; To practice ('Jing zuo, ') or 'Quiet Sitting', a neo-Confucian seeking of self-cultivation.

Place of origin

Indian subcontinent

China

Use of statues and pictures

Common. Statues are used as meditation objects, and revered as they reflect the qualities of the Buddha.

Permitted.

Belief of God

The idea of an omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent creator is rejected by Buddhists. The Buddha himself refuted the theistic argument that the universe was created by a self-conscious, personal God.

Depending on the religion held, usually Buddhist. Confucianism is not strictly a religion but rather advises a schema of social order.

Goal

To attain enlightenment and be released from the cycle of rebirth and death, thus attaining Nirvana.

To have a structured society.

Life after death

Rebirth is one of the central beliefs of Buddhism. We are in an endless cycle of birth, death and re-birth, which can only be broken by attaining nirvana. Attaining nirvana is the only way to escape suffering permanently.

Comments: Buddhism vs Confucianism

Anonymous comments (4)

Just like Christianity there are different followers of Buddhism you need to detail which form of Buddhism you're talking about. It's not much like mine.

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June 14, 2013, 1:54pm

THE PREVIOUS WRITER COULD PRESENT THE DIFFERENCES BETTER AND MORE CORRECTLY THAN THE PRESENT WRITER CAN.

— 203.✗.✗.82

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March 20, 2013, 9:54am

Buddhism is based on the threefold training: virtue (morality; precepts and good discipline), concentration, and wisdom. - Neither Buddhism is a philosophy nor Buddha was a philosopher or a thinker. Buddhism refers to 'Buddha's teachings' and all of Buddha's teachings are not philosophy, but the absolute truths of the world which Buddha found himself and showed to all of us.